I haven't decided if I am totally crazy for going with a 150 yet or not.
I look forward to getting to fill it with even more corals and perhaps a few new fish ;)

This will be a bit of a learning curve as I have always done things.... simple.
I still intend to keep things on the more simple side, but with a few upgrades perhaps.

So I figured since we have limited space I wanted to stick within a 4ft footprint, and cramming as much water into that space as I could led me to a 150. 48 x 24 x 31. I may just need to invest in some snorkel gear....
This will be quite a change from my little 65 that I can barley do things in with out getting soaked.

I am pretending I have a budget for this upgrade. I don't know what that budget is, but there is a budget....

Nothing fancy however. I plan to stick with what has worked reasonably well for the last 4 years :lol:

Goodbye with the old...
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l88/Lolaandthecrowd/Fish%20Tank%20-%20SW/IMG_5098.jpg

And hello to the new!!!

Let the adventure begin!

_

Coasting

03-19-2016, 06:37 AM

I plan to transfer all the fish. I'm quite fond of all of them.
Could be interesting trying to catch them all....

My shiny new tank is sitting at J&L waiting for me.
I've got my pumps and powerheads ordered. I'm going with Jebao for most of those.
I also ordered myself a dosing pump! I think it's time I start dosing with how much coral I plan to cram in my tank.

My brand new lights are sitting in the middle of the living room..... All ready made a mess, whoops!

Not sure what I'm going to do for a sump yet either.... urgh... I just want to get the tank in the house and set it up! But 1 step at a time I guess :(

I have always hated how delicate looking the matching stands are for aquariums, so I decided I wanted to build one. I have no building skills. But thankfully Daniel was able to come through for me in the midst of his massive kitchen reno and build me the bare bones frame of my stand! Wahoo! The important part is done! Now I get to make it pretty.

Looking great so far! Keep the pics coming, we all love pics. I gather from another post you made you don't live too far away from me. If you need help with anything (I'm a carpenter with more tools and wood than I know what to do with some days) let me know :)

Coasting

03-19-2016, 04:30 PM

Looking great so far! Keep the pics coming, we all love pics. I gather from another post you made you don't live too far away from me. If you need help with anything (I'm a carpenter with more tools and wood than I know what to do with some days) let me know :)
While I do live and work in Qualicum Beach, my tanks are all in Poco and hopefully I can snag a position back in the lower mainland within the next year or so. I'm pretty sure my landlord would kill me if I brough home a 150 there ;) shes quite content that I didnt move in with my snake so she has allowed me my 2 bettas and their tanks.

I am quite pleased with how well the tanks do while I am not around. (Knock on wood....) But they are something that my parents actually enjoy so they can learn and help look after then when I am not around.

Guess I should get out of bed and start working on my stand again. Perhaps I can finish up and make it to the meetup at the pub later.

Coasting

03-20-2016, 04:34 AM

Stands almost done.
Going to leave the doors for another day.
I started staining it and making a massive mess outside while I got my dad to cut the plywood for my base. We split it so it would go in easier. Not the prettiest thing in the world but itll work. I will use the mitre saw, but I'm not a fan of our table saw so I keep away from that one.

And I might have cut some of the panel pieces that will go below the door a smidge too short (for where the moulding would end up getting nailed to them) so that's the reason behind the stupid alternating look. Itll all be hidden.

Gave the inside a coat of bathroom paint, the same paint I used on the inside of my current tanks stand. I will still probably add a plastic liner under the sump to make my mother happy.

Saw your tank at J&L today, makes the 60 I'm working on look tiny.. Grats on the setup taking shape!

AquaAddict

03-20-2016, 05:24 AM

Congratulations as well on your new upgrade. I am also upgrading to a 150 gal so I will be taking special interest in your journal.

AquaAddict

PS Watch for my journal later on.

duncangweller

03-20-2016, 06:26 AM

That was your tank at J&L? That thing stopped me in my tracks yesterday when I saw it!

gregzz4

03-20-2016, 07:00 AM

Build is looking awesome Gina !!

Really like your tank 'skinning' work

Keep up the good work

Looking forward to it becoming wet !!

Don't forget ...
If you need a hand on Sunday, I have a truck and 2 hands ...

Coasting

03-20-2016, 07:17 AM

Tomorrow we will likely go pick the tank up as soon as J&L opens. Then I can go grab the plumbing I need for it, and get the back painted. Going to give the paint a chance to dry before we get it moved into the house.

I will totally take all the help I can get, this thing is heavy + stairs. But I don't want people waiting around while the thing drys lol

SeaHorse_Fanatic

03-20-2016, 10:10 AM

In this weather (damp and cold) I wouldn't expect your paint job to dry very quickly, unfortunately.

maron6977

03-21-2016, 02:01 AM

Nice job . Can't wait to see it up & running.
Finally in the big leagues (100+gal)
👍

Coasting

03-21-2016, 02:53 AM

Well a HUGE thank you to gregzz4 and moloto!

Because I'm a giant weakling it was up to the guys to do the heavy lifting!

Greg helped get the tank to my house with his truck and partook in some of the heavy lifting!
Patrick was here for the 2nd half of the tank move in, and all the stairs!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

Put the corner moulding on the stand today. All its missing is the doors now. Family is leaning towards wanting sliding doors, so we will see what happens.

Got the tank to the garage, then my dad gave the back a coat of black paint. Not that there was any room in the garage.... but it worked out in the end. Me and paint clearly don't mix so it was better that he did it. I still have stain all up my arms from yesterday... It doesn't scrub off very well....

Even managed to get the hole in the top of the stand in the right spot for the plumbing ;)

And yes I all ready know I'm crazy, and this thing is huge. Somehow it ended up being taller then me.... Oh well. Its perfect viewing level. And we have vaulted ceilings so its really not that bad.

Gave everything a wipe down today so I could start putting my rock in.... Then realised I only have 5 zap straps....
Did a few rocks together.... Managed to punch myself in the face while pulling one tighter with the wrong kind of pliers.... lesson learned.
So going to go buy some more zap straps tomorrow as well... and perhaps a big Rubbermaid to use as a sump until I get my shit together :lol:
And maybe look for my aquascape putty stuff....

My doser arrived today as well :mrgreen: Hurroh! I have a serious addiction to buying all my stuff direct.... But its soooooo much cheaper....
Still waiting for my test kits to arrive however (Canadian retailer), gotta do this properly!
Definitely don't enjoy coming home to see dead colonies when a solution is this simple.

Looks pretty cool, following along. Is that its final spot, or are you moving the old tank?

Coasting

03-22-2016, 06:13 AM

Looks pretty cool, following along. Is that its final spot, or are you moving the old tank?

It was initially going to go on the other side of the living room, but we decided to put it in that corner where my current tank is, just turned 90 degrees. So it will stay facing the way it is, just be pushed into the corner when I take my old one down. It will fit perfectly between the corner and where the curtains start which only border the window.

This way its on a separate breaker from the TV and all the other living room electronics.
And its still in the corner of 2 load bearing walls.

I'm hoping with a few people we can still slide it the 2 feet further once its mostly full. Its got some nice felt pads on the bottom of the stand + Laminate floors....

Jeeze plumbing pliers leave a damn big bruise!

WarDog

03-22-2016, 06:19 AM

Jeeze plumbing pliers leave a damn big bruise!

Ouch.

Did 'that guy' come through with the sump yet?

Coasting

03-22-2016, 06:58 AM

Ouch.

Did 'that guy' come through with the sump yet?

Nope. :lol:
That would be why I'm going to find a Rubbermaid tomorrow ;) That and I still don't know where the roll of plastic sheeting we had has gone.... I was going to put that under the sump to collect all the water I will likely end up spilling.
Even something temporary will work fine for now.

SeaHorse_Fanatic

03-22-2016, 08:16 AM

Any natural sunlight coming through that window and into the tank will cause a major algae problem. Keep this in mind when positioning the tank next to a window.

Coasting

03-22-2016, 03:48 PM

Any natural sunlight coming through that window and into the tank will cause a major algae problem. Keep this in mind when positioning the tank next to a window.
Light cant bend and do a full 180 turn.

WarDog

03-22-2016, 03:57 PM

Light cant bend and do a full 180 turn.

It can... if Anthony brings either his Black Hole, Neutron Star matter, or bag of Dark Energy into the room. It will however make a hell of a mess in the house.

SeaHorse_Fanatic

03-22-2016, 05:48 PM

The sun moves across the sky so if that window receives direct sunlight that at any time of the year or day ends up lighting your tank, it can create algae problem. I have no idea how much light shines through that window or which way it faces. This is just a heads up. Ignore this and the previous post if you wish. I don't care anymore. Ta ta

Coasting

03-22-2016, 09:34 PM

That window gets direct sunlight every morning all summer long.
It will still never hit the tank because the light can't bend 180 degrees once it comes through the window. There are also no mirrors or photos with glass on the opposite wall that would bounce the incoming sunlight from the window to the tank.
My current tanks been in that corner for 3 years with no issue.... the bowfront before my current was there as well. I'm only getting film algae buildup on my glass now because i have no snails left.

spit.fire

03-23-2016, 06:18 AM

Any natural sunlight coming through that window and into the tank will cause a major algae problem. Keep this in mind when positioning the tank next to a window.

I donno about that, I wish I could light my tanks with natural sunlight. Corals grow faster, heal faster, are in general are healthier under natural sunlight

Sunlight enhances all the dirty fingerprints and nose prints on the glass..... bleh!

Tank is wet!
Hurroh
I might have filled it with the hose this morning so its still cold even with 3 heaters going.
Just working with my salinity now.
Think i have my return pump set perfectly. Fingers crossed....
Those rw8s can sure gust up a storm and i only have 1 in.

Coasting

03-24-2016, 07:54 PM

Well rocks were in 2 days ago.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l88/Lolaandthecrowd/Fish%20Tank%20-%20SW%20150/20160323_093147.jpg

Everything gets a zap strap/epoxy putty.
I am still bruised and sore from leaning over the tank to place the rock....
Thankfully that will only happen once!
Got my sand rinsed and in...
Started filling with water yestetday and finished my plumbing.
There are zap straps everywhere....

Now i am beginning the tedious and messy process of moving my coral and Live rock over.... messy is an understatement. There are towels everywhere and i still have a mess.
The fish are not pleased that i am destroying their tank.
Catching the melanurus should be interesting... my blenny was the worst to catch last time.... hes my only fish whos all ready been through a tank transfer.

Got all my corals switched over.
Still have to glue down all my euphyllia.
But their all in the new tank.
The fish look so tiny in it.... i need more fish!!!
Gotta figure out how im mounting the new lights. Only 1 on temporarily for now.
Still need a proper sump.

Once its in its proper spot ill get a better photo with no reflection.

Ill try and get a good photo tomorrow when the corals are a bit happier.

Yesterday Patrick came by and we drained.... 6-8inches of water from the display and slid the tank into place. I know a few people said it wouldnt work but it did! Hurroh.
So the tank is in its finaly position now.
No direct sunlight ;)
Ive tacked most of my coral down so hopefully the wrassr cant move it. I know if something falls theres not a hope in hell of my family realising it and picking up the fallen coral before it dies.....

Just need to finalise the sump.
Still dont have a proper sump.... no room for my skimmer in the rubbermaid.
Skimmer definitely needs a new impeller, ugh.

Also need to mount the lights properly.
The brackets dont work as the lights and tank both 48" so the brackets would fit for a larger tank.
I could try hanging them.... but nothing to hang them from....
Nooooo idea what im going to do.... they definitely need to go higher.... their just sitting on 2ft lengths of fiberglass hockey stick for now. But im getting shadowing because their too close. Need more spread.

Stuck a few new fish in the tank to make my mom happy. So far so good.
My wrasses finally came out of hiding.

Coasting

03-29-2016, 03:17 AM

Well, today was the last time ill see my shiny new tank for 2 weeks.
Time to play that "what will be dead next time i visit" game....
Fingers crossed.

My laptop just shit the bed with some kind of stupid virus that even the guys you can pay to fix stuff.... cant fix it.... thanks BCAquaria! Never going back on that bloody forum ever again, if i remember correctly this happened a few years back too .... grrr.

Got a bunch of photos on my camera.... but no way to upload them.
So for now just some cell phone shots.
Cant wait for stuff to grow in.
8 different torches.
8 different hammers
6 different frogspawns
1 bubble coral
My math might suck too....
Not enough. Need more
Group buy in the summer anyone?

you need to make a video of your tank! I want to see all those torches move. That must look awesome !

WarDog

03-29-2016, 07:45 AM

you need to make a video of your tank! I want to see all those torches move. That must look awesome !

Kinda looks like this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvaRGiMWRaE

kien

03-29-2016, 07:48 AM

Kinda looks like this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvaRGiMWRaE

That's totally what I was imagining.

msjboy

03-30-2016, 07:38 AM

Nice set of torch corals,,! Have you seen these at coral farms? Wild colors you might consider.:idea:

Coasting

03-30-2016, 03:40 PM

Nice set of torch corals,,! Have you seen these at coral farms? Wild colors you might consider.:idea:
Ive seen the torches on coral farms website and how photoshopped they are ;) i have the ones their selling all ready. They just look different under real light.

Bblinks

03-30-2016, 07:18 PM

Kinda looks like this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvaRGiMWRaE

hahahahah

Coasting

04-01-2016, 07:21 PM

Well it took me like 3 years to figure out what settings made for the best photos with my old tank and my camera..... So these photos really do suck, and this is going to take awhile to figure out.

New fish are doing well. The Kole tang has quite the personality. Sailfin is a bit more shy, and the butterfly is just a bit.... psychotic. If he eats my SPS I would honestly not care haha but the moment he starts eating the euphyllia he will be pan fried for the cats.
Very excited though.... finally have a tank big enough for tangs! Not the big big ones mind you, no Dorys..... but yay tangs!

I am thinking I want to add more anthias to the tank. Most of my fish are so dark, I want some bright colours there. So if J&L still has some perhaps I will add a few. Will also need to pick up my clean up crew. Only had a few snails we actually found in the old one. Figured I'd give algae some time to grow a nice film on everything so I'm not starving the snails.

We've been using a mirror on and off to ensure the Anthias and Melanarus behave themselves. The Kole seems to really love his reflection as well.

Hopefully the 50gallon I am planning to use for my sump will be ready next week, then I can get some baffles in there and ditch these stupid micro bubbles.

Theres so much dog hair and probably my hair in the tank too.... :lol: strings off various rocks and sps, the overflow... jeeze.... messy messy :lol:

Thanks
I cant even remember what the lights were at when I did the pictures.... still have a lot more playing around with the lights to do... and I probably need to stop dropping my camera, might help with some quality issue...

Think I will try and get the lights cable mounted to the ceiling next weekend, so I can use the pulley to bring them up and down when I access the tank.... Issue = Vaulted ceilings.... the tank is right under where the ceiling is the highest. :neutral: Gonna have to find chains or something else to find a mounting point 10 feet closer to the ground since the hanging kits that came with the lights certainly wont reach 12ft into the air....

Sounds like the Butterfly is starting to be a turd face. He was doing so good :( He's getting cocky... I was letting him get away with SPS eating so I think hes going a step too far, might have a fish to rehome in a few days ;)

Anyone have any ideas about anthias species to add? I was preferably thinking 5 or 6 more Lyretails, but J&L doesn't have that many.... I'm wondering how well my Butt head male lyretail would do with 5 or 6 girls of another Pseudanthias genus fish.... can they withstand his BS? I'm not too familiar with the "aggression" levels between the different species.

coolhandgoose

04-02-2016, 08:17 PM

Instead of mounting to the ceiling, could you just make something that mounts to the wall behind the tank and sticks out over the tank?

Coasting

04-02-2016, 08:25 PM

Instead of mounting to the ceiling, could you just make something that mounts to the wall behind the tank and sticks out over the tank?

I did that with my last tank. It kind of takes away from the look of the tank....
Theyd still have to be tall enough that I can adjust the lights high enough to fit my body between them and my tank.
plus id think hanging 2 sets of lights off whatever would require support in the front of whatever I'm hanging it off of, which would get in the way.
Plus we are not attempting to move that tank again unless we absolutely have to :lol:

coolhandgoose

04-02-2016, 08:46 PM

I guess it depends on how it's built. If you painted angle iron the same colour as your wall and then bolt it into the studs you could easily have angle iron coming off of it not needing support. But you know your set up best, gotta do what's going to work for you in the long run.

Tyfighter

04-02-2016, 09:09 PM

You could probably rig up something out of aviation cable with a pulley to raise and lower. The cable looks a lot cleaner than chain in my opinion.

Coasting

04-02-2016, 09:22 PM

You could probably rig up something out of aviation cable with a pulley to raise and lower. The cable looks a lot cleaner than chain in my opinion.

The lights came with a set of cable shown here
http://www.ledzeal.com/p46.html

Its just getting from a beam in the ceiling to wherever those cables will start. I didn't open the packages up to see how long they are.
IMO the chain wouldn't look that bad... if we got the same stuff that matched the dining room and kitchen lights so once again... everything in the house is matching.

tang daddy

04-04-2016, 05:02 PM

Decent set up, looks good so far, I didn't have time to carefully read so sorry if you already posted but was wondering what LEDs you are running?

Coasting

04-04-2016, 06:41 PM

Decent set up, looks good so far, I didn't have time to carefully read so sorry if you already posted but was wondering what LEDs you are running?
Hey Chris,

Haven't seen you around in awhile.

I ordered my lights directly from China again.
2 x Malibu S300.
I swapped the premade layout around a little and added a bit more deep blue instead of light blue (well I had them do it) I just havent gotten to play around with them long enough to know what settings I like yet.

Coasting

04-05-2016, 08:03 PM

I'm sitting here trying to figure out what I want to add for fish to the tank...

I need good sturdy fish that can handle butt faced fish.
I'm thinking wrasses.... Not sure why but Coris and Halichoeres really peak my interest. My Formosa and Melanurus are pretty awesome fish, but that being said, any new fish had to handle the Melanurus attitude.

J&L has a Black Stripe Coris (yellowstripe coris) I didn't see it last time so not sure on its size. Their 4 spot yellows were way too tiny. Well see what they get in with the shipment they list coming in tomorrow I guess. Anyone have experience with the Blackstripes?

tang daddy

04-05-2016, 11:01 PM

Cool I was just reading up on these lights on rc I guess the earlier models had some issues and apparently customer service for warranty sucked but the newer units with wifi control seem to be more reliable... I just ordered an led fixture from another manufacture... Too bad I didn't see this one oh wells...

Coasting

04-12-2016, 11:45 PM

Well I still cant figure out what I'm doing with my camera. I swear I used to be good at photos....

Tank is doing well. Getting a good amount of diatoms on the dry rock, but the tangs, butterfly, blenny, and oddly the damsel are LOVING it.

At this point everyone is getting along. The Melanurus has stopped trying to kill the butterfly and has calmed down and is being 'normal' now. Butterflys wounds are healing well, his 1 eye is still cloudy/scarred but no longer swollen looking. The hogfish was annoying the butterfly to no end by trying to clean his owies haha.

The Sailfin was a bit on the thin side when he came home, but he ate well at the store so I figured why not, and he was within the cheaper price range at that size LOL. But he is fattening up nicely! And really coming out of his shell. The Kole on the other hand.... is getting FAT, any more and I will be calling him obese.... he is a pig. He has claimed the right half of the tank and will chase off the blenny if he catches him on that side of the tank.

The butterfly is doing well coral wise. He is a voracious algae eater, and only tries to eat really fleshy corals like the Open Brain. But he is too smart for me. I spent the last week trying to catch him, but he is totally impossible.... other then the blenny he was the only fish that refused to get into the trap. I could have caught all the others 100x over.
Between the black stripe that woke up trapped under the pop bottle, and the hog fish who got stuck in the plastic fish holder and couldn't figure out how to swim out.... I have a tank full of really stupid fish... The butterfly just puts them all to shame

My Lyretail anthias has stopped hiding, after a day with the new anthias in the tank he is out swimming around with them and everyones getting along. The new guys had a few squabbles with each other the first few hours in the tank that I broke up with my steel pokey stick, but all is good now.

Was hoping to get an Orange Pearlscale after we saw yours, but settled for one that was listed as potentially reef safe lol whoops. He's pretty good for a butterfly I must say. He more annoys other corals by picking at what he thinks is algae on them. So I am still on the fence for next time I go back to my tank.... Do I continue to try and catch him? or do I sell off the remaining brain coral and stick with butterfly safe corals LOL

Reef Pilot

04-13-2016, 02:11 AM

I first trained mine in QT to eat normal fish food, and made sure they were fat and healthy before transferring to the DT. Never had any problem with any of them eating corals, incl SPS. They only thing they went after is aiptasia, which I also trained them to do in QT.

I wish I could find a fish that would eat mushrooms.

Craigdillman

04-13-2016, 05:50 AM

I wish I could find a fish that would eat mushrooms.

Omg i would pay so much money for a fish that ate mushrooms specifically the red ones that seem to love my tank and are reproducing like little mushroom rabbits, some days i think its cool that they cover the rock other days I'm mad they shade out my zoas and i have too tear them off the rocks

Coasting

04-13-2016, 04:46 PM

I always found mushrooms super easy to peel off the rock with a fingernail so I never had an issue with that :P
So i hope he doesnt eat my mushrooms, I only have nice vibrent ones in the tank haha.

When I was trying to decide what butterfly to get at the store some, of the species descriptions did say they ate softies and mushrooms... as well as everything else lol "worst of all butterflys to get". Cant rember what one that was though. I went with the vagabond as he was on a list that gave him more potential to be reef safe.

Reef Pilot

04-13-2016, 04:59 PM

Next time I buy some butterflys, maybe next fall, I am going to try train them to eat mushrooms in my QT. I found before that when you first get them, they will eat corals, aiptasia, etc, before being trained to be fat and happy on regular fish food. So if I keep feeding them a rock with mushrooms in the QT, maybe they won't lose the taste for them. It worked with aiptasia.

I've had no luck with peeling, scraping, aiptasia X, and other efforts. The mushrooms disappear deep into a small hole in the rock, and then a couple weeks later start reappearing. I have way too many now, and they are killing my SPS. Reminds me of when I first inherited this tank, and was full of aiptasia, too many to get rid of manually. But the butterflys did the job, although took them a few months. So that is my best hope at the time,... other than throwing out all my rock and starting over. I have already tried everything else that has been suggested or that I know of.

Coasting

05-13-2016, 10:04 PM

Well tank seems to be doing good.
Corals are growing
Fish are growing (and getting a bit fat....)
I still don't have a proper sump
Got a shiny new skimmer which is massive, and has made the idea of putting a 50gal sump under the tank impossible. Went with the Coral Box Cloud 9. It does an awesome job. Hell, better then the vertex did. And its quiet! It's just huge LOL.

I still haven't gotten around to testing my water, or setting up my doser.... yup lazy.

The butterfly has stopped going at any corals. But I am still not risking putting the open brain back in the tank, I might be brave and try one in the winter. He is a great algae grazer along with the tangs, loves squid and clam.

Hogfish kinda look funny.... like they wear lipstick :lol:

Ive got 2 rocks that I've tied fishing line too, with a rubber band wrapped around a few times. We've been attaching pieces of garlic soaked clam, squid, muscle, octopus, etc.... so they can "graze". Everyone's pretty good about sharing, no fights. I'm not used to having fish that crowd the glass when they think their going to get fed! This is new! It's nice actually being able to enjoy watching everyone.

The Melanurus is still behaving himself. It's nice finally being able to get photos of him. Previously if you walked anywhere near the tank he would hide at the back and not come out until you were far away. Now he doesn't shy away at all.

The Kole is a bit of a turd to the blenny, but only when the blenny crosses over to the right side of the tank. Heard there can sometimes be tiffs between those film algae grazers. My blenny is my only fish that was in my original 26g bowfront. He has been through all 3 tanks.

Within the last month my Formosa has started loosing her white stripes! Their slowly fading. They stayed the same all the while in the old tank. Now in the new one everyone is growing and maturing. Facial markings are almost completely gone. And the middle body one is as well. We'll see how long until shes a solid burgundy. Maybe the black stripe will loose her belly stripes soon as well.

My Lyretail is doing well with the red fairys. I did loose one about 2 weeks ago but that's to be expected I guess. Everyone else is happy and healthy. The Lyretail is getting slightly darker, waiting for that nice redish colour!

I still cant get proper photos of the coral. Colours suck. But I can finally get a photo of the damsel that isn't purple!

looking good Gina! However, I didn't see a single beta fish in any of those photos? I call shenanigans !

Bblinks

05-13-2016, 10:27 PM

Tanks looking pretty good!

Coasting

05-13-2016, 10:42 PM

looking good Gina! However, I didn't see a single beta fish in any of those photos? I call shenanigans !

Red doesn't sit still for photos.... And Shark Bait is too fast as well.... Here's a photo of Red just for you! And as a bonus one of Shax... I mean he is a CORAL albino..... :lol: That totally makes him salt water related right? Maybe Ill find a way to get him into one of the POTM topics ;)

Finally have my lights mounted.... sorta properly.
As some people who have been by saw, my lights sitting on an old hockey stick on a single 4x2 sheet of 1/8th inch plexi. Pretty awkward.

Got the lexan cut.
My dad did little steel brackets so we did 2x2 painted and attached to the brackets holding it to the side of the tank so the lights brackets can sit on those.
Still need to tidy up the cables on the side of the tank from the lights.

Well this is a pretty boring update.
I keep forgetting to add to this journal, whoops!

Since I never dosed or added chemicals to my last tank I thought I could still get away with that in this one. WRONG. My alk dropped pretty low while I was away and bye bye corals! However I still attribute some of the loss to buying corals from a certain vendor. Grrr. Especially since after getting everything back in balance and holding steady I'm still loosing pieces. Not that I cared about any of the SPS but those are all gone. Got 1 or 2 frogspawns are left, thankfully I still have the Majority of my torches but the nicest ones are gone, of course. I pulled every coral out and re-dipped it. I already dip before anything touches my tank, and usually with a stronger solution. Nothing funky showed up in my dip bucket or rinse bucket so no clue there. Going to start using that bayers dip I bought for all new corals. May even set up my 20g when I do a large order and use it as a 24hour hold to rinse corals off after the dip. Still have my T5HO light and it seems a whole box of t5 lightbulbs in the garage.
Finally got some green hairy fluffy whatever mushrooms opposite to the ones I have already!

I finally re-did my sump. Picked up a 40 breeder at Petco on their dollar per gallon sale. Great prices... Had some glass cut and silicone it in. A bit messy but pretty damn good for my first time installing baffles into a sump. Now I have proper sections and can hopefully keep it cleaner. Water flows in to the bottom in the rock section. Added a bunch of hermit crabs in there to eat any missed food that flows down there.

At least the fish are fat happy and healthy.
Well sort of, I thought my longest owned fish, my sailfin blenny had died. Poor guy was always being harassed by the Kole Tang I got. And he was going on 4.5 years, I know some smaller fish may not live too long. I kept trying to say hes probably just hiding because he hides so well and can change colours when he wants to go incognito. Plus everyone who ever saw him usually made a comment about him having a tumor or something, no hes just morbidly obese.... So I wrote him off as dead and figured I could get a new fish. Anyway, fed the tank some frozen one morning and I could see a reflection into my overflow, something was moving, something moving the same way my blenny moved. Holy crap its him.

Needless to say, after putting a bar stool on top of the side table by the couch and spending 2 hours balancing on that after removing my lights to partially drain my overflow, and use pokey sticks and small nets, I finally caught the little bastard. Small fish that change colours and blend in, that hide so well in the 1cm between the drain pipe and the overflow... GRRR. Anyway he was as fat and healthy as ever so back into the main tank he goes. I took the time to add light diffuser to my drain pipe to prevent any snails from clogging it.
And I went out and bought myself a proper 3 step, step ladder so I could stop putting unsteady objects on top of other unsteady objects just to reach my tank.

Well the Kole still hated the blenny, but I gave him a chance to smarted up. Nope? Okay got rid of the Kole. That blenny is my only fish that has been though all 3 tanks that i've had since the beginning so he stays.
Pet Superstore in Langley ended up having a lovely big 4"+ fat yellow tang for sale. They said it was from somebodies tank shutdown and had been there for 2 months. He looked good, healthy, ate pellets, and they knocked a few bucks off the price which made him cheaper then the tiny tiny ones sell for elsewhere. Yay new fish!

Brought him home. No issues with him and the sailfin. So that was almost a month ago. August 6th. Everyone is still good as it stands right now. No ick or aggression issues. I still call for fish updates all the time haha. Don't mind his colour in the photos, I woke them up just for photos before I hit the ferry.

I think J&L mislabeled my Formosa when he was there. Hes transitioning into his adult colours now. Kind of boring looking fish right now, hes like a brown turd. All his white is gone. He has a shiny blue stripe on his cheek starting to appear. But it goes horizontal not on an angle so I'm thinking he is just a regular Red Coris not a Formosa. Either way both make really pretty adult males. But I wont know for sure until he's done changing. No signs of blue dots on his back end yet, or black ones either. And his tail doesn't appear to belong to either one yet. Wait and see!!!!

The red fairy anthias are very odd fish. The big one is definitely a male, and hes got a beluga look to him, big hump head. No issues between them and my male Lyretail. Some of the female chill our in their rock holes. They do their dominance dances every once in awhile.

And once again my ability to take photos of anything is spinning slowly down the toilet. So here are some horrible pictures of my fish.

There aren't enough females in this hobby. I have to try and girl stuff up wherever possible ;)
Especially when I was selling corals or supplies, some people would come to the door and the first thing they would say to me would be "Is your dad home?"

Reef-Geek

09-01-2016, 10:31 PM

Hi, How's the coral box cloud 9 doing? I am setting up a new tank and thinking about it, definitely a bang for the buck but I'd like to know the performance and reliability. thanks

michika

09-09-2016, 03:33 PM

Nice tank! I like your magenta step ladder.

Sent from space while riding a T-Rex.

maron6977

09-26-2016, 01:23 AM

There aren't enough females in this hobby. I have to try and girl stuff up wherever possible ;)
Especially when I was selling corals or supplies, some people would come to the door and the first thing they would say to me would be "Is your dad home?"

Lol !

AquaAddict

09-26-2016, 05:42 AM

This might be hard for you to appreciate now but when you get a little older you will remember with fondness how young you looked.

AquaAddict
(an older woman and reef addict)

Coasting

09-26-2016, 05:23 PM

This might be hard for you to appreciate now but when you get a little older you will remember with fondness how young you looked.

AquaAddict
(an older woman and reef addict)

We just need more females in general in this hobby, regardless of age :)

Coasting

12-31-2016, 09:41 PM

Well I have been neglecting this journal because I have been neglecting the tank.
I guess I have been having a bit of a phosphate issue from 1 thing or another, oddly not the water source!
Its a bit of a domino effect it seems.
GHA has taken over and I cant seem to keep lps or sps alive despite keeping alk and other levels stable and in range. Except my bubble coral which continues to get massive and thrive and 2 small acan frags I have had forever that keep being stung by other corals or getting kicked around by the fish. Otherwise It's just sofies left. Other remaining lsp are being babysat in someone elses tank.
Problem is the wrasses continue to rip up the gha in search of food which just helps spread it. Urgh. Bloody fish. Lets try this reactor thingy out and see what happens.

Honestly ... oh well! Softies are pretty and the fish have personality.

I had a small loss the end of summer or after my last update. Ick. Learned a good lesson. Do not buy fish from Pet Lovers! Lost my butterfly, male nemo, 2 anthias and damsel. The tangs were untouched by the ick.... strange fish. So since everyone remained fat happy and healthy since then, I went on a bit of a boxing day shopping spree.

Got some new fish. Very happy J&L still had the fish I wanted and had on my list.
Got a lovely Orange Spot Foxface. A big fat Picture Wrasse. And a spunky little dragon wrasse. Oh and a new Damsel. Not on my list but I ended up grabbing a Coral Beauty, dont care anymore about corals getting eaten so it was time for an angel.

Since its been almost a week they are all doing well. A few spats on day 1 but everyone is getting along. The Melanurus occasionally reminds the Picture wrasse that he is in charge. Female nemo has stopped being a total turd.
Everyones fins are healing fast from her attitude problem.
The anthias are weird. They love playing at the water surface. Constantly splashing.
This damsel is much more adventerous. He actually swims around the tank rather then hides in 1 spot.
My Blenny is still going. He will be 5 in the spring. Nobody bothers him. Had to fish him out of the overflow again the other day. Think he was just grazing near the wrong spot and oops! Floody fish takes near an hour to get out.
Love the colours of the foxface .... why didn't I get one sooner!
Red coris is slowly changing. But still an ugly fish right now. Totally different looking with a flashlight.
Fish have all learnt to eat seaweed. Yes all. I have to put extra out because the wrasses eat it all and leave none for the tangs. The melanurus or blackstripe usually rip the whole piece out of the clip and try and swallow it whole while the other fish chase them around.

Anyway. I think i have included a photo of just about everyone minus 1 of each anthias. Probably still forgot someone. Oh well. I think im fish > coral now.

Those are amazing pics of amazing fish!! Curious, do you skip the QT phase and if so how do you acclimate?

Coasting

01-02-2017, 07:43 PM

No I dont QT. Dont have room and just dont care. Its gotten me twice. Once a few years back a flame angel from another reefer gave my tank Velvet which killed everyone except my blenny and a lyretail anthias.
Sencond i just mentioned the small ick or something above. I am not 100% sure thats even what killed the fish. Perhaps they were a little off and one of the wrasses nailed the anthias and damsel. Butterfly/nemo caught whatever those new PetLovers fish had, urgh. I swear they sell cyanide caught fish there, will never buy livestock from them again.
Healthy fish can usually recover. So I just make sure everyone looks fat happy and healthy before i add a new addition.

Then getting to see the fish in person before I buy. I knew most of the fish i picked on boxing day had been at the store for over a month (cant verify the damsel) so i knew they were doing well there. Fat happy healthy eating well. Otherwise i annoy the staff by having them feed the fish for me so i can see it eat (dont think that was going to happen on boxing day). I almost got a flame angel the other day but not only were they new, half had a few ick specs or were in a tank attached to the same tank as another that appeared ill. So the coral beauty had been there a bit and was on a totally different wall. He looked fat happy and healthy too (minus trying to commit suicide after being caught in the store).

I do make an effort to feed garlic and VitC soaked food for awhile to new fish. Some people say it helps some say it doesnt. Might as well honestly.

I used to make an effort of drip acclimating fish into a 1gal pail kept at tank temperature for 2 hours. Now i just open the tops of the bags and use a large plastic clothespeg and clip the bag to the tank, add a drop of prime, and use a glass and dump tank water into the bags until im happy and the salinity matches. It usually only takes half an hour because i wander off between cups of water. Depends what salinity the water the fish came from was so that I do check.

Everyone is doing well so far still. No signs of illness. Eating well. Their all coming out of their shell and seem to fit right in. The angel hasnt discovered the seaweed clips yet because the other fish are a bit too crazy over them.

maron6977

01-02-2017, 08:37 PM

Nice to hear your turning things around .
Dragon Wrasse - good luck, They like to redecorate your tank
Coral Beauty- had one for 9-10 yrs - good with corals, but not with clams - just my experience
Sorry to hear about your corals , you had quite the collection going .

DKoKoMan

01-02-2017, 11:25 PM

Love the tank journal! I appreciate all your honesty and efforts throughout. I would like to add your fish colours are awesome and match the colour pinwheel. I will be setting up my recently acquired 150g DT with a 50g Sump... Nice to see your setup. Keep up with the updates as your tank evolves and the fish grow. :biggrin:

Coasting

01-02-2017, 11:51 PM

Nice to hear your turning things around .
Dragon Wrasse - good luck, They like to redecorate your tank
Coral Beauty- had one for 9-10 yrs - good with corals, but not with clams - just my experience
Sorry to hear about your corals , you had quite the collection going .

Well with 2 true coris wrasses in the tank the dragon moving stuff is not a concern :lol: i go through a tube of superglue for every frag because they love playing soccer with it all. They are such awesome looking fish I had to have one. So everything was "nailed down" from day 1 in this upgrade because I already had the red coris in my 65. They have a good snail graveyard going too :lol: always moving the empty shells around hoping someone is inside.

And will never add a clam anyway because of the wrasses and hog so not worried about the coral beauty. I did find that coral eating fish tend to leave euphyllia alone so I hope to maybe add some of that back when i figure everything out. Otherwise he hasnt touched any of the sofies or the acans in the tank now.